Lock clamp for cords



Dec.2o,1927. 1,653,235 4 f A. H. s oRELL LOCK CLAMP FORv CORDS FiledAug. 5, 1927 Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

ALFRED E. SORELL, OF yBRIDGIEPORT7 CONNECTICUT, .assIGNoR To THE SMITH &EGGE rare. co., or Bn1DGnroRT,ooNnECTICUT, A oonroRATIoN or CONNECTICUT.

LOCK CLAMIB FOB, CORDS.

Applcationled August 5, 19,27*.*hSerial No.210,827.

This invention relates to cord fclampsbut more particularly hasreference to" metal clamps such as are commonly employed for fasteningthe cord of sacks lthat are used in 'the postal service. l-leretoforeclamps of this description have been in service,` but they could readilybe loosened so that the contents of the sacksl couldl be easily gotten`at by unauthorized persons', and therefore devices of this nature arenow so constructed that they can be locked in clamped condition7 so asto necessitate the use of a proper key in orderto release the cord andopen the sack. n

The object of the presentinvention is 'to provide a cord clamp which canbe locked in the manner above referred to, and furthermore to soconstructhe clamp that it will be yvery durable .and simple, while theends of the cord of a mail sack can be threaded through the clamp withthe greatest facility.

It is a still further object` to provide a clamp that can be efficientlyusedfwhether a lock is or is' not employedasince many business concernsand railroads use cord clamps for sacks merely as a convenient manner ofclosing the sacks for short transportations, and consider the lock asunnecessary. p i

In order that a clear understanding may be had of the inventionattention is called to the following detail description which is to beread in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is aside elevation of the cord clamp with the parts in position for theinsertion of the cord ends, the` side of the housing for the clampingmember being broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the clamp as it is shown at Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section at Figure 2.

Figure tion.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly broken, showing the position ofparts when the cord is partially clamped.

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the position of parts when the cordis fully clamped and a padlock applied tov lock the parts in clampedcondition.

l is an end view of such construcy3 `at the lower end are y. Figure 7isla section"atthe`line 77 yof( Figure "6.

Figure Sis a detail plan view show-ing'the in detached condition, and

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the clamping f member and theoperating 'lever kclamping member andv operating lever connected as inthe completed article.

Similarnumerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures`of the drawing.

l is any suitable base the outer. face of which is shaped and formed soasto provide the usual way 2 for labels or'address tags, At the innerend of thebaseand secured thereto isa housing 3 and at the other endofthe base is the usual guide 4 for the ends of the cord.' and securedto the base midway of the guide land housing `is a flatup'right staple5. y

6 lis the clampingfmember vwhose rear eX- tremity is pivotled within thehousing near .its rear upper portion thereof as shown at 7, and 8 is theoperating lever having' an elongated slotv 9 which, when the lever isdepressed, embraces the staple 5, and for this.

reason this lever will bey hereinafter termed a hasp lever.

.The ha-sp lever v8 is .pivoted to the outer yend of the clamping member`6, and any form of pivotal connection may be employed, although in thisinstance it is preferable, for salie of simplicity and cheapness, to cutout the inner end of the hasp lever as shown at 10,-thereby forming abar l1, and the out-er end of the clamping member is inserted throughthis cut out l() and curled around the bar 1l so as to 'form the pivotalconnection. Y

The outer vertical walls of the housing i i cut away so as to formshoulders 12, while the `inner end of the hasp lever has projectionsside thereof. y

In applying the clamp the two ends of the cord from the sack are passedside by side through the passage-way denoted by the numeral 14 andbetween the clamping member 6 and base l., and these cords pass onopposite sides of the staple 5 out through the guide 4. y

The clamp is then pushed upward as far as it will go against lthe closedmouth of the sack, and the hasp lever 8 lowered and 13 at eachdepressed, and on the initial depression of this lever the projections13 will be forced upward against the shoulders l2, thereby forcing theclamping member 6 against the cords, and as the lever is depressed toits limit the clamping pressure against the cord will be increased, andwhen the hasp lever is completely depressed a shackle of an ordinarypadlock l5 can be locked through the staple 5, and thus secure theclamping member in its eifective condition.

In order to gieatly enhance the bite of the clamping member against thecord the bottom of the base may be provided with spaced raised portions16, and the clamping member itself may be formed with similar portionsl?, and although these portions are very serviceable, nevertheless it isnot necessary to provide but one of such portions near the outer end ofthe clamping meinber, and the invention is therefore not to be limitedto the provision of raised or depending clamping portions or to similarconstructions such as serrations.

A denotes the cord to be clamped.

From an inspection of Figures l and 3 of the drawings it will be notedthat the insertion ofthe ends of the cord through a clamp can be broughtabout with the great* est facility, and that when the hasp lever isdepressed to its limit, as shown at Fignreb, it is not at allnecessaryto employ a lock, since the parts will remain in their clampedcondition unless they are deliberately loosened, and, as before stated,be* cause locks are required in some instances, this invention has beenespecially contrived with the end in view to provide for such lock.

lVhile the shoulders 12 are formed on the housing 3, they may be formedon any special projections from the base but `as the housing is itself aprojection from the base it is not deemed necessary to show any specialprojection.

claim l. A cord clamp comprising a base, a housing secured to the innerend of said base, the latter affording a passage-way for the cord, aclamping member whose rear end is pivoted to the side walls of saidhousing immediately above said way, and a lever whose inner end ispivotally connect-ed to the outer end of said member and engages astationary part when thefree end of the lever is depressed wherebyT saidmember will be forced downwardly against the cord.

2 A cord clamp comprising a base, a housing secured thereto, a clampingniember pivoted at its rear end to the side walls of the housing,shoulders at the lower front portions of said walls, a lever having pivetal connection with the front end of said member and adapted whendepressed to engage said shoulders, and a cord `passageway beneath saidmember and lever, whereby, when said lever is depressed it will engagesaid shoulders and force said member downwardly against a coid insertedin said passage-way. v

3. A construction as in claim l, in which the inner end of the clampingmember is pivoted near the upper portions of the side walls to allowfree passage of the cord beneath said member.

LA construction as in claim l, in which an upright staple is secured tothe base, while the lever hasytherein an elongated slot which embracessaid staple when the lever is depressed, whereby said lever may belocked. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signatur-e hereto.-

ALFRED H, SORELL.Y

